Malawi 2015-16

• Unmet need for family planning also declines
with increasing wealth quintile, from 21%
among currently married women in the lowest
wealth quintile to 16% among those in the
highest wealth quintile (Figure 7.10).
• For more information on need and demand for
family planning among all women and sexually
active unmarried women, see Table 7.12.2. The
total demand for family planning among
sexually active unmarried women exceeds that
of currently married women (84% versus 78%),
although the percentage of demand satisfied is
much lower for sexually active unmarried
women than for married women (53% versus
76%).
Figure 7.10 Unmet need by wealth
quintile
21
Percentage of currently married women
age 15-49 with unmet need for family
planning
20
19 18
Lowest Second Middle Fourth Highest
Poorest
16
Wealthiest
7.5.1 Decision-making about Family Planning
Eight in ten currently married women who are current users of family planning reported that using
contraception is usually a joint decision between the wife and her husband; 13% said that it is usually the
wife’s decision, and 7% said it is usually the husband’s decision. Among the currently married who are not
using family planning, however, only 56% reported that a decision for not using contraception is usually a
joint decision between the wife and her husband, whereas one in three (31%) reported that it is usually the
wife’s decision and 9% reported that it is usually the husband’s decision (Table 7.13).
7.5.2 Future Use of Contraception
The 2015-16 MDHS also collected information on nonusers’ intent to use contraception in the future.
Sixty-nine percent of currently married women age 15-49 who are not currently using contraception intend
to use family planning at some future time (Table 7.14). Intention to use contraception in the future among
nonusers decreased with increasing number of living children. Seventy-nine percent of women with one
child intend to use contraception in the future, compared with 59% of those with four or more children.
7.5.3 Exposure to Family Planning Messages in the Media
The survey also collected information on exposure to family planning messages in the media and other
sources among women and men age 15-49 (Table 7.15). In the few months before the survey, 41% of
women and 64% of men reported hearing a family planning message on the radio; this made radio the most
common source of family planning messages. Respondents were also exposed to family planning messages
via dramas (31% of women and 44% of men), clothing (26% of women and 52% of men), and posters
(26% of women and 39% of men). Despite these available messages, 42% of women and 17% of men were
not exposed to any family planning messages in the past few months.
7.6 CONTACT OF NONUSERS WITH FAMILY PLANNING PROVIDERS
Contact of nonusers with family planning providers
Respondent discussed family planning in the 12 months before the survey with
a fieldworker or during a visit to a health facility.
Sample: Women age 15-49 who are not currently using any contraceptive
methods
Almost three-quarters (73%) of women age 15-49 who are not using a contraceptive method said they had
not discussed family planning with a fieldworker or health facility staff member in the 12 months before
Family Planning • 99